Zaxby's on Ordway Drive and on Main Street in Salem will be giving away free Nibblers, or snack-sized chicken finger sandwiches, on Monday.
The offer is good from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Roanoke location and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Salem location.
Get your nibble on.
Chinese Restaurant News has named the best 100 Chinese restaurants in America for 2009. Surprise! None of them are anywhere near us.
Well, to be fair, it depends on your definition of "near." If you think Alexandria, Annandale, Leesburg and Prince William County are near us, then congratulations -- you've got four new restaurants to add to your to-dine list. Those restaurants are:
* China King Restaurant, 5 S. King St., Leesburg
* Asian Garden, 12857 Braemar Village Plaza, Bristow
* Sampan Cafe, 6116 Franconia Rd., Alexandria
* Szechuan Star, 6960 H Bradlick Shopping Center, Annandale
I think I was most amused by the names of some restaurants in CRN's 2009 dining guide. I like the Takee Outee, Two Guys from Hong Kong and Wok N Roll the best. But the OK Chinese Buffet? Not aspiring to much there, eh?
If you were voting in a Best Chinese Restaurant in Southwest Virginia poll, what spot would get your vote?
Jeanna Duerscherl/The Roanoke Times
Today's Front Burner column is about a new cupcake bakery, Bubblecake, that is opening in the white house on Crystal Spring Avenue in South Roanoke. Several callers and e-mailers have asked when the bakery is open, but until today I did not know for sure.
Now, I can report that Lisa Lusk says they are having their grand opening at 11 a.m. on Monday. The new telephone number for the business is (540) 343-2253.
For those of you who had the opportunity to take the fun culinary quiz I posted yesterday, the answers are below the jump. I put them there on purpose in case others of you would still like to take the quiz and don't want the answers spoiled for you.
I wish I could report my own score on this quiz, but while completing it I noticed that I was a full three answers short. As it turns out, the wire story was missing three answers, so I had to call the Kansas City Star and get the missing answers. Well, that threw me all out of whack. But the best I can tell is that I got about 22 or 23 correct out of the 25. I did not know halloumi or cavolo nero.
I hope everybody had fun and learned something along the way!
Are you "amused?" There's one bad hint.
This word quiz was published the other day in the Kansas City Star. It's based on culinary terms that get tossed around on Top Chef. I had so much fun doing it that I pulled it off the wire to share with you guys. I'm going to be a trickster and wait to publish the answers tomorrow. I trust no one to cheat! And if you are serious about the quiz, you may not want to read comments on this post until you have done it. Some of them may give certain answers away.
25 FANCY FOOD WORDS USED ON 'TOP CHEF'
(Do You Know What They Mean?)
See how many of these food words you can correctly match with their definitions. See definitions below!
1. Ganache (GAHN-ahsh)
2. Ceviche (seh-VEE-chay)
3. Risotto (rih-SO-toh)
4. Carpaccio (kahr-PAH-chee-oh)
5. Hamachi (hah-MAH-chee)
6. Remoulade (ray-muh-LAHD)
7. Chiffonade (shihf-uh-NAHD)
8. Panna cotta (PAHN-nah KOH-tah)
Update: Now Doreen Sidor says she is going to keep struggling away at the restaurant in the hopes of finding an investor or a partner. They'll be serving lunch and selling boxed lunches and scheduling some cooking classes, but no dinner at this time. If you are a fan of Doreen's, now would be the time to show it.
I received an e-mail this morning from Doreen Sidor, proprietor of Doreen's Gourmet on Brambleton Avenue, saying the restaurant will soon close. Here is the text of the announcement:
I am so very sad to say that Doreen's Gourmet is not making it in this economy. Trying to get an investor/partner has not happened.... Therefore, the dream of serving the best customers in Roanoke is ending....... I will keep you all updated as the next few days are going to be the hardest for me... God Bless you all... Doreen
Yet another reminder that running a restaurant is one of the toughest jobs to do, especially in a down economy.
If you drive through Fincastle very often, you may have noticed that the old Captain's Tavern and Bill's Seafood location is the site of a brand new Italian restaurant called Leonardo's. Botetourt County community journalist Cathy Benson has a little bit more info on her blog. Apparently, the new owners of this endeavor are related to the folks who run New York Pizza in Vinton. That's promising!
Out in Salem, there are plans for a new Mexican restaurant in the space that used to house Fast Freddy's. It sure was a shame to see Fast Freddy's go after so many successful years on that corner. But fans of Rancho Viejo will be pleased to see Jenny Boone's report here.
Prefer to cook at home? Well, check out the cooking classes on offer to the general public this summer at the Culinary Institute at Virginia Western Community College. That's the campus located at 109 Henry Street, behind the Roanoke Higher Education Center. The classes are $40 per person. Topics are:
* July 20, 6-9 p.m., "Sassy Sushi."
* July 24, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., "Mediterranean Tour."
* July 27, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., "Going, Going, Gone! Meals in Minutes."
* July 30, 6-9 p.m., "Party Panache."
To find out more about these classes and to register for them, go to http://www.virginiawestern.edu/bet/culinary/. For questions, contact Lacey Carey at (540) 857-6210.
Every time I decide to do a Cookbook Giveaway and pick the winner myself based on comments, I wonder what in the hell is wrong with me. It's so much easier to just draw a name than choose someone based on comments. You guys always offer such compelling arguments!
I'm proud that everyone has an adventurous spirit, though. I was curious as to whether anyone would really want to cook over an open fire. It turns out that many of you think that sounds like a perfect afternoon!
Congratulations to LeeAnna Tylor, who wins this time based on her promise to teach Boy Scouts how to prepare gourmet dishes over the campfire. Here's what LeeAnna had to say:
Five years ago when my son became a Boy Scout, I swore I would never camp. Then I decided if I had to camp we would definitely eat good. Over 100 camping nights later, I have a trailer load of dutch ovens that I carry with the scouts on every campout. Open fire cooking would open a whole different avenue of adventure for myself and my scouts. One of my newest scouts as decided to become my dutch oven cooking apprentice. Just imagine the possibilities with a new cookbook. Cooking merit badge here we come.
I'm impressed that LeeAnna has already taken it upon herself to perform above and beyond the typical hot dogs and hamburgers and beenie weenie schtick. Because she's already been experimenting quite a bit on the scouting trips, I feel confident that she won't let this book go to waste. LeeAnna, please e-mail me your mailing address at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com and I'll send the book right away.
Everyone else, don't fret! The book is still available for purchase if you've decided you can't live without it. And I'm sure to do another Cookbook Giveaway before long!
Okay, I am extending the deadline for entries for the Cookbook Giveaway until 5 p.m. tomorrow, Friday. I will announce a winner on Monday! Good luck, everybody.
Here, a link to a great story by Amy Matzke-Fawcett, a Roanoke Times business reporter in the New River Valley bureau, about the changing face of the dining scene in downtown Blacksburg. Check it out.
